MOTORDOM

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 147, 17 March 1939, Page 13

MOTORDOM

by

Chassis

TAIL-LIGHT IS A DETAIL OFTEN FORGOTTEN

An Important Feature Of Safe Driving

Practice

The large number of defective tail-lights noticed on motor-vehicles, mainly older models, prompts the suggestion that owners should attend to tliem for the sake of safety as well as a means of avoiding prosecution. If there is one detail of motor-vehicle equipment which does come under official notice it is that affecting the lights.

Tail-lamps are defective in various ways. The lights are not working through breakage of bulbs or other mechanism, through dust interfering with contact, or the connexions being faulty. The law is not concerned with the cause of defective tail-lighting so much as it is with the fact that the motorist created a breach of the law. It is the bounden duty of motorists to make sure by test that their tail-light-ing equipment is in first-class condition at all times, and a wise motorist will guard against trouble by carrying a spare bulb or two, of the right size, of course. Lamp equipment may be all right at the beginning of a run or tour, but a flying stone? or parking place collision or knock may damage the equipment. A spare bulb may be needed. The law requires that every motorvehicle, including any trailer, shall be equipped with a tail-lamp which shows a red. light visible at least 300 feet to the rearward. Moreover, the registration plate carried on the rear must be so illuminated as to make the figures and letters thereon clearly visible at a distance of 60

feet by a. white light, the beams of which are not visible from the rearward. Quite a large number of tail-lumps do not come up to the standard required. Not a few instances have been noted of white lights showing to the rear, obviously through the breaking of the red glass. And the requirement concerning the illumination of the registration plate is apparently overlooked by very many drivers.

It often happens that the white beam of th.e light is all right as far as it goes, but that isn’t far enough to reveal the details of a number plate liberally coated in dust, or mud. The law has the motorist one way or the other in that respect.

Tail-lights in proper order are an important feature of safe driving practice. They are essential to following traffic; they must lie fully effective without doubt for night-time driving.

A little thought now and then for the tail-light will repay the motorist w'ho cares about safety and doing the correct thing.